After many years of being held on the Paramount Studios in Hollywood, The 2024 Cine Gear Expo, moved to the Historic & Iconic Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, where they had so many historic movies filmed there on their back lot, and even now they have those same famous sets, stages, props, posters, furniture, clothing, statues and cars from those iconic movies on display- that we all have seen throughout our lives- so it was a real pleasure to go there once again this year: 
& Speaking of one of their well known movie franchises- there was an epic movie premiere at the Steven J Ross Theater of the latest of the Mad Max series of films: “Furiosa A Mad Max Saga” starring Chris Hemsworth and Anya Taylor-Joy, from George Miller, that was another epic and amazing 5 star movie: 
As in past years the PRE- CINE GEAR EXPO PARTY was held at FilmTools the day before The Cine Gear Expo opened up. FilmTools is very close to Warner Bros. also in Burbank. FilmTools had camera, sound, video, and storage equipment, and all the additional accessories you can ever need for your next filming project. Filmtools is committed to providing you with the latest tools to create stunning images. They carry cameras for a wide variety of creatives, from professionals shooting high-resolution RAW footage to hobbyists wanting to strap an action camera to a helmet. Filmtools is your camera house shipping film-making supplies worldwide, and when you shop with them, anyone is a filmmaker or photographer. They provide cameras that they believe will best benefit videographers, content creators, independent filmmakers, and photographers: 
On the opening day of the Cine Gear Expo at Warner Bros. Studios, we were again invited to the private Universal Party, and the VIP After Party- after the movie premiere, on New York Street on The Warner Bros. back lot, where they had amazing food and drinks with live music:
where everyone was networking, seeing old friends, and having a great time: 
Cine Gear Expo is the premier event for thousands of professionals from all corners of the globe, who are engaged in the film and entertainment technology industry. It took place June 7th – 9th with exhibits June 7th & 8th at the historic Warner Bros. Studios. Cine Gear featured over 300 exhibits, workshops, panel discussions, masterclasses, product demonstrations, virtual reality technologies, insights from industry experts, cinematographers, visual effects artists, and producers; new product and service introductions, complimentary seminars led by industry leaders, and ample opportunity to network with peers, all within an exciting studio environment. Cine Gear had everything you need to produce and distribute Motion Pictures, Films, Movies, Docs, Shorts, and TV shows. With booths, and tables- both outdoors and inside of the warehouses and movie studio stages, with large broadcast, movie, film, video and still cameras; filming gear, editing, video and audio equipment, mics, lighting, rigs, storage devices, and just about every accessory, part, add on, and expendable that you could ever need for your next production was there! All the major studios, reps, and equipment companies were there! This was a must event for anybody who is somebody in the Entertainment Business! 
This year Cine Gear Expo featured another exciting lineup of Premiere Seminars from esteemed equipment makers and distinguished industry associations. They had some amazing seminars and panel discussions conducted by the top equipment makers and industry associations, with programming that included seminars from AbelCine, ACT, the American Film Institute, American Society of Cinematographers, Aputure, Blackmagic, Canon, Cine Brands Munich, Cineflares, Clean Mobile Power Initiative, Digital Cinema Society, Drivingplates.com, IATSE Local 600, Igelkott Studios, Kondor Blue, Panasonic LUMIX, RED, ShotDeck, Society of Camera Operators, Sony, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Women in Media.
They had amazing new production equipment: Cameras, Lenses, Lighting, Grip, and more, on display, along with 2 days of give aways with over $40,000 worth of equipment in Samy’s Cine Gear booth #233 at the historic Warner Brothers Studios! 
Plate Pros, one of the world’s premier international production services companies, exhibited June 7-9 at Booth S1003 on Stage 14 at Cine Gear Expo 2024, at Warner Bros. Studios (3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505). Executives from Plate Pros showcased their library of pre-stitched car process plates and their new innovation, Sim-Plate, the company’s new line of simulated car process plates created entirely in procedurally generated CGI, developed in partnership with Light Sail VR. Plate Pros’ Hands-On 360° Immersive Virtual Experience was presented in partnership with industry leaders, Fuse Technical Group and ROE Visual. To help convey the full scope of what 360° content truly means, guests were able to take control of the orientation and position of captured real world environments, encompassed by multiple LED video displays mapped with pixel-perfect content. The combination of these three organizations in one showcase, where expertise drives every pixel, helped participants see how 360° content is perfect for virtual production. The new addition of Sim-Plates to the Plate Pros library marks a milestone in offering both photographic and fully CGI process plates to suit the needs of the widest possible selection of creative challenges. Sim-Plates perform exactly as the company’s pre-stitched array plates and can be used interchangeably on any virtual production or VFX workflow. They are available as 12k or 16k pre-stitched equirectangular 360° video files, both ProRes and NotchLC are available, and the plates have the ability to be customized for any season, weather, or time of day. Plate Pros launched the availability of pre-rendered plates within its library with price parity to the photographed plates in addition to launching a service that customizes the plates for individual production needs. They are one of the world’s leading full-service international production services company dedicated to creating VFX elements for the film, television, and commercial production community. The company offers deep expertise in driving process plates and custom array work – including translite backdrops, subway and train plates, crowd work, and period driving – that create photographic virtual environments utilizing 360-degree array photography and other techniques to produce a two-dimensional digital twin of a location. Plate Pros’ powerful approach harnesses assets derived from actual photography of the actual world, which provides a photo-realistic end result. Known for their innovative approach to virtual environment capture, Plate Pros has contributed to some of the most renowned films and television projects; recent titles include “The Penguin”, “Dark Matter”, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”, “Shallow Tale” (premiering at Tribeca), “American Rust”, “American Horror Story”, “Presumed Innocent” (premiering June 12), “Love & Death”, “Wu-Tang: An American Saga”, “Euphoria”, “Life & Beth”, “What We Do In The Shadows”, “Finch”, “Smile”, “Joker”, “Creed II”, and “Stranger Things 3”. Plate Pros, which is a Third Law Productions LLC brand, also partnered with Panasonic to create the Lumix BGH1, a camera that’s ideal for array shooting. 
Zacuto had a booth there. They invent, design and assemble production-grade film-making equipment in the USA. Their optical viewfinders, EVF’s, camera accessories and shoulder rigs are designed by Steve Weiss, Jens Bogehegn and their engineering staff. Steve and Jens bring their 80 years of combined experience as award winning filmmakers to create products based on four central principles: balance, ergonomics, comfort for all day shooting, and products that are universal ‘to work with all cameras’. Zacuto is known for their signature products, the Z-Finder, EVF’s and VCT Pro baseplate. Zacuto is celebrating 20 years in business. During this time, they have established themselves as educators to the film community, and a company that puts quality first when it comes to their unique designs. All of their products have a lifetime warranty, and their iconic red and black design is seen on film sets worldwide, in part thanks to their large loyal fan base. Zacuto head product designers and five time Emmy winners, Steve Weiss, Producer/Director and Jens Bogehegn, Cinematographer, are known around the world for their Zacuto original programs including, “The Great Camera Shootout”, “FilmFellas”, “Light & Shadow”, and “Critics”. They know, your equipment is key to making the dream of the director’s vision come to life. Zacuto’s designs free filmmakers to focus on innovation, inspiration, and creativity!
The FOX Studio Lot featured a variety of production services including the FOX Grip & Canvas, Set Lighting and Transportation departments. FOX Grip features an extensive inventory of production and construction equipment, that offer the best selection of camera sliders for rent, and original truck shelving systems include FREE install and removal. The FOX Canvas department is a leading source for custom canvas fabrication, canvas rental of all sizes including blue & green screens, hard to find over-sized rags and more. They offer fast cleaning and repair services to get your canvas back in service. 
There was a big crowd at the Moxie booth, with a big interest in their MoXIE Solo – the future of mobile, exchangeable, intelligent energy. This innovative powerhouse is packed into a sleek, compact unit, delivering an impressive 3.6kW AC output with simultaneous DC outputs. The MoXIE Solo is specifically tailored to meet the demanding needs of film and video production. Designed for versatility and sustainability, it ensures reliable, portable energy for on-location shoots, remote film sets, and emergency backups, making it the ultimate energy solution for creative professionals.
MoXIE Solo stands out with its robust aluminum cage and convenient wheels, ensuring durability and mobility. Its industrial design is not just about aesthetics; the aluminum casing provides rugged protection, while the wheels make it effortless to move, even across rough terrain. This single battery cell unit is equipped with a 20A 110v AC input that charges the battery cell packs in just 2.5 hours, ensuring you have a quick turnaround between uses. You can also charge the MoXIE cells externally, freeing up your MoXIE unit for production.
Helping movie industry technicians deliver better quality footage more efficiently, motion picture connectivity co. Bit Part showcased its new remote camera control radio, bitbox, at the Cine Gear Expo in LA (booth #845 @Midwest and French Streets). Bitbox offers interference-free camera control from ultra-long ranges to help cinematographers, DITs, and ACs save valuable time, money and labor throughout the entire production process. Whether it’s filming in challenging lighting conditions or shooting from atop a large crane, bitbox’s 915 MHz system can remotely control filters, camera settings, live color grading and more in virtually any environment. Bitbox features patent-pending technology to help camera technicians remotely manage their shots from thousands of feet away with a simple push-button interface and sub-five second boot-up time. Bitbox does all of this without the challenges of spectrum interference, the need for mesh systems, or the need for expensive and complicated DIY solutions. The device is the only solution of its kind that’s custom-designed for the cinema industry and is supported by more than a year of field testing.
Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, SGPS ShowRig is the nation’s largest dedicated rigging equipment and service vendor for Film, TV, and live productions. They were outside at Booth 928 on the Midwest and French Street section of the exhibits at Cine Gear. The company that had displays including the SGPS I-Beam Track Truss and the new SGPS I-Beam Tracker, a simple to operate self-propelled I-Beam Trolly with 2,000# capacity. As well as SGPS Curtain Track Truss, cutaway CM Motors and a section of SGPS Super Stacker the new LED Volume Ground Support Tower, engineered for 12-meter (40′) tall LED walls. SGPS ShowRig has a long tradition of custom innovative solutions and off-the-shelf products supporting specialized rigging requirements including aluminum and steel truss, chain hoists, winches, automation, and tons (and tons) of related rigging components, as well as custom products specifically designed for Film and TV production including: Fly Swatters, Pettibone Lightboxes, VFX Frames, Crane Frame Rigs, X-Y-Z Systems, Speed Grid Lightboxes, Curtain Track Truss, I-Beam Track Truss, Trollies, Super Stacker LED, Monster Truss, and Show Tower. 
SGPS/ShowRig’s products are created to push limits and enable their clients to realize their visions simply, safely, and efficiently. With today’s increased demands on technicians and designers, SGPS created ShowRig to leverage their experience in engineering, design, and fabrication in service to the rigging needs of the production industry. Systems for each project are constructed using their off-the-shelf inventory and, where necessary, with in-house custom fabricated equipment. Their design philosophy embraces the inevitable changes that occur in the creative process, and continuous product development and improvement. SGPS ShowRig, with 6 fully stocked rental warehouse service facilities across America, located the production hubs of Los Angeles, Las Vegas (HQ), Nashville, Boston, Atlanta, and New Orleans and also servicing NYC/NJ, Chicago, Albuquerque, Pinewood Dominican Republic, and location productions across the nation.
Aputure just launched two new products: the INFINIBAR 4-Light Kits and the Light Storm 600c Pro II, and they were both shown at the Cine Gear Expo, at Stage 19, booth S9307. The INFINIBAR PB6 and PB12 4-Light Kits and Accessories: Expanding their acclaimed INFINIBAR family with compact, portable solutions in two- or four-foot lengths, these kits are perfect for solo operators and small crews, significantly reducing the load compared to the original 8-Light Kits. Key features include portability with a sturdy rolling hard case, comprehensive accessories like DC male-to-male power cables and light control grids, and enhanced power options with a 330W Power Adapter for simultaneous charging of all fixtures. Also announced is an array of new accessories, including Passive Connectors, a Collapsible Tripod Base, a Battery Power Station, a Tilting Mounting Bracket, and a 330W Power Adapter Kit. The Light Storm 600c Pro II is a significant advancement in its flagship lighting series, the Light Storm 600c Pro II offers nearly double the brightness, higher flicker-free performance, smoother dimming, and robust IP54 weather resistance. Key features include an 85% increase in brightness with the F10 Fresnel lens, a weatherproof design for reliable performance in extreme environments, and easy integration with all Aputure accessories via the Bowens mount, which can be controlled through the Sidus Link app. 
Mark Roberts Motion Control Ltd were at stand 244 alongside their talented partners at Camera Control and the latest addition to their Nikon Family, RED, with all their Cinebot systems being outfitted with their phenomenal cameras. People were able to get their hands on with the Cinebot Mini and experience PushMoco® in action. People could push the track and play it back, as their manual inputs are recorded and replicated in real-time! They have been working with 2D House on the Cinebot Mini, and just a week after receiving their robot, 2D House was called in last minute for an ‘on-the-fly’ McCafe shoot for McDonald’s with minimal prep time. Conversely, the Cinebot Mini would also be put to work for a virtual production shoot with Villaggio, with more time but a lot less budget. The Cinebot Mini proved its worth in these wildly different shoots and could change the game for your next production! 
16×9 Inc. at CINE GEAR Expo LA. 2024. Thank you to all of our old and new friends for visiting our booth. The new BOOM RIG from Easyrig was a big hit! OCTAMAS gear’s Camera Cages & Power Solutions were very popular as well as the Sharpness Calibration Charts from Prêt À Tourner. 
The day after Cine Gear closed: Tiffen had a fun-filled day of celebrating Tiffen Tech Day ’24 x Stabilizer EXPO and 50 years of Steadicam innovation!
So stay tuned and thanks for watching Entertainment & Sports Today TV and Entertainment Today on Time Warner/ Spectrum. To watch other shows go to: EntertainmentandSportsToday.com Celebrating 30 Years being Broadcast on TIME WARNER / Spectrum!
